Oath
by Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay
Summary: Two Force users 'curse' the Sith and the Jedi for the destruction of their world and Order. Anak and Corray's stories next.
1. Mikayla

They are coming. We prayed that they wouldn't target our world, we are peaceful and are neutral, although we serve the Light and not the Dark.

I am in my third year of studying at the Temple of Ashla/Bogden. I enjoy following my mentor, Kera Stardust, around and learning our history at her side. Training with the lightwhip with Kale Fallenstar and Sira Starlight. And learning at the feet of Adra Whitesun, the High Priestess herself.

The High Priest and Priestess petitioned the Jedi for help. They know that we can not hope to stand against the Sith without either a planetary fleet or a standing army. Besides the Jedi swore an oath to help us.

They didn't respond.

I can feel them enter our system. I can feel their hate, directed at us.

Many of the priests and priestesses are sent to defend the only population center on the planet. The rest of us, the students and the instructors, stay to defend our home and our collective knowledge from the Sith.

I am assigned to the hallway leading to the Halls of Oaths. It is a great honor.

It is where we make oaths against our enemies. In the days of old people, usually a priest and priestess would enter, cut their hands and press the palms against the crystal alter. Then they would ask for revenge against those that had wronged our people. It is not something that beings know about us.

I don't know how it works. All I know is that our enemies suffer; sooner or later

A nudge in the Force sends me to the doors and I change the passkey. I was given the option to change the codes by Shang Whitesun, the High Priest.

I hear the Sith begin to make their landing.

I head back to my spot.

Very quickly I feel waves of death and the approach of Dark presences. I quickly remove my lightwhip from its place on my belt and activate it.

The sounds of battles reach my ears and I feel both Light and Dark die.

Finally footsteps approach. The belong to a Sith.

He comes around the corner and smiles. He sees my youth and thinks that I will be easy prey. He learns his mistake as I relieve his body of his head.

More Sith arrive and two more die by my hand.

Suddenly one uses the Force to lift me in the air and throw me out a window. It is a long fall.

Pain.

I slowly open my eyes. I am in the gardens, or what once was the gardens. Where flowers from countless worlds once grew is nothing but wilting plants.

Slowly I climb to my feet.

I no longer feel any Sith.

I glance into the sky; the sun is raising. I have been out for an entire day. If not longer.

Glancing around I retrieve my lightwhip.

In a daze I leave the gardens for the city. I must find out what has happened to the citizens.

What had once been a proud world is now nearly a barren waste land.

I wander the streets of what was once a bustling city. The streets that were once full of people and vehicles are now littered with broken machinery, pieces of buildings and bodies.

Finally I reach what is left of the spaceport. Throwing caution to the winds I contact Don Darklighter, the ambassador for our world.

In a shaking voice I tell what has happened. He looks at me with gentle pity. "Young one," he begins, "if the Sith didn't kill the people than they took them to sell into slavery. I mourn for the loss of our people. However, you must find out if either the High Priest or Priestess are still among the living. I can not ask the Republic to help rebuild our world alone and chances are that they won't listen anyway."

A few hours later he informs me that the Republic has made a decision: no. He says that there isn't anything that he can do. Eras isn't a Republic world. But that I still need to find the High Priest or Priestess.

I slowly make my way back to the Temple of Ashla/Bogden. I can feel the pulse of a living being somewhere in there.

I carefully ascend the stairs. Huge chunks are missing from the white and black marble steps. I try not see the damage or the bodies of the Priests and Priestesses unless I am endanger of tripping but it doesn't work.

I see the lifeless eyes of Kera Stardust. A few feet away is the body of my aunt, Jocasta Pathfinder. My brother, Luke, lies at the door to the High Priest's office. The High Priest's head is mounted on the wall. I weep for the fallen in the room and I kick the body of a Sith as I pass it.

II must find out if the High Priestess is still alive and tell her what the Sith have done to our people.

I carefully search every room. Everywhere I find the bodies of a handful of priests and priestesses that stayed to help the instructors and students. There are a few citizens as well; they must have been fleeing the Sith.

I find Sith as well, but not as many as I had hoped.

I only peer into the nursery, because I knew what I will find, the children dead. I start to cry. Many of them were orphans who needed a loving home until loving parents could be found. The others were the children of the priests and priestesses.

It is getting late. The sun has set. I can feel the gnaw of fear. Fear that the High Priestess is dead and that I am the last of our order.

I come to the spot where I had fought the Sith.

I almost smile in pleasure at the sight of their dead bodies. I can also almost hear Aunt Jocasta's voice reprimanding me on my thoughts.

The thought brings tears to my eyes. My whole family gone.

I sink to the floor and weep.

I feel so childish. I am nearly twenty years old. But I find myself taking comfort in my tears. The servants of Bogden don't cry. They are, metaphorically speaking, heartless.

Slow footsteps approach.

I turn.

A young priest about my age and wearing the robes of a third year stands there. His robes are burnt and torn. His black hair is a little longer than the average young man, brushing his chin.

Tears of joy pour down my cheeks. Someone else survived the desecration of our Temple.

"Who are you?" he asks softly. "Mikayla," I respond. "And you?" "Anak," he replies.

I remember him, he's the descendant of a near mystical family. They are -were- known for their unique talents like telepathy.

"How long has it been since the attack?" I force myself to ask. "Two days, they poisoned the water to kill all life here. I heard them bragging about it."

Pain fills me. The planet that our people have called home for nearly two millennial is now a barren waste land.

I turn and head for the Halls of Oaths, Anak follows behind me.

Near the entrance is the High Priestess's body with the bodies of several Sith. I knew that once Anak found me that she was gone.

Guilt fills me, because I changed the passkey. And because I changed the passkey she couldn't escape into the safety of the Halls.

I enter the passkey and enter the Halls.

"Are we going to curse the Sith?" Anak asks me. "And the Jedi." I reply. "Why the Jedi?" he asks. "They allowed this to happen! They owed us a Life Debt! Our Seers warned them of an attack against their Temple on Coruscant and they promised that they would help us if it was needed. They broke that promise. They allied themselves with the Republic when true servants of Ashla allow her to guide them and don't rely on those who can only see the here and now to decide what they should and should not do."

Anak jerks upon hearing my harsh words, but nods. I am glad that he doesn't point out that the Seers warning was given nearly a thousand years. We see a promise as a promise no matter how long it takes it to fulfill.

We ignore the many shelves of datacards and other such devices. We are interested in one thing and one thing only: The Alter of Oaths.

It is craved out of a crystal from the ice world of Ilum. There are bloodstains in several places, some are faint and others are bright as if they are fresh.

I hesitate. It is one thing to say that you're going to curse someone. It's another thing entirely to go through with it.

Slowly Anak picks up the knife and slits his palm and then hands me the blade and I do the same. Then we place our hand on the alter and we slowly run it on the surface leaving red stains behind.

"Hear us Ashla/Bogden. The Jedi have broken their oath with us and now our Temple is in ruins and nearly all of thy servants are dead. The poplulance is either dead or scattered to the four corners of the galaxy. One day let them believe that their enemy is dead and then when their Temple is empty of many of the fully trained let the Sith fall up them, desecrate it and kill the instructors and students. And may there be a mere hand-full of survivors. As for the Sith let them celebrate their victory and meet their end by our descendant." I say out loud and broadcast into Ashla/Bogden.

We stay still for a moment and then we feel a a voice whisper to us that it will be done.

We lift our hand and Anak looks at me curiously. I lower my head, embarrass.

We leave taking nothing and seal the doors behind us. The ghosts of the slain are now waiting for vengeance. They will protect what is behind those doors.

We board a hidden ship and make our way to Coruscant. Several people tell us that they are sorry for our lose. But if they were sorry they would have either sent help or be helping us rebuild somewhere.

Don Darklighter marries us.

We are now heading to a world outside of the Republic. We do not want our children joining those oath breakers. We don't how long it will take for our 'curse' to fulfill itself. It might take 76 years or three thousand years.

But I do know one thing:I Mikayla Moondancer Skywalker will not rest until it does.


	2. Anak and Corray

Anak

I stand in front of the cradle that holds you my newborn son, you sleep, unaware that one of your descendants will destroy the Sith and avenge your aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. And that's the way I want it to stay.

I think about how much of my life has changed in the past two years.

Two years ago I was a new priest of Ashla/Bogden and the last male Skywalker alive on Eras and, at the time, I had no thoughts of marriage on my mind. Not to say that you are not wanted Little One. Your mother and I love you dearly and wouldn't trade you for anything. Even if it meant that the Order had never been exterminated.

All that changed when the Sith attacked. We thought that the Jedi were going to come. We had no army or fleet. But they didn't answer our plea.

I had been sent to protect the Hall of Healing dressed as a third year student. I was disappointed with my assignment but someone needed to protect those who were in no condition to protect themselves. Besides my mother is a healer there.

I fought bravely against all the Sith that tried to past me. Some tried to get pass me but the doorway was too narrow. "None shall pass!" I screamed at them. Their bodies began to pile up around me and I began to run out of maneuvering room.

A Sith finally threw me through the door and into the Hall.

I was waiting for them again. But there were too many of them for me and the healers to fight off. They slaughtered the patients that they could reach and killed the healers mercilessly.

I was injured and fell next to the lifeless body of a healer. My heart froze when I saw that the healer was my mother.

An idea came to me and I pulled my light in into myself and made it appear as if I was dead. You might find my act cowardly, but the Whitesuns had taught us that sometimes you had to use trickery to survive and live to either report or fight another day.

I felt them leave, believing that they had exterminated all life in the Hall. I waited for a while before getting slowly to my feet and leaving the Hall.

It broke my heart to see the classrooms in ruins and the data cards smashed. And my heart bled every time I found the body of a friend.

Finally I made my way to the Entrance. It was there that I heard a conversation that changed my life forever.

"They are all dead milady." A Sith informed another. "Good, now this pathetic order can't destroy us when victory over the Jedi is within our grasp." The Sith Lady paused for a moment. "Has the water been poisoned yet?" "Yes, milady." "Then let us take our leave of this place." she snapped.

I nearly flew from my hiding place to slay the two Sith but her words that member of the Order of Ashla/Bogden would snatch victory over the Jedi from the Sith made me stop.

They had missed me. _It could be my blood that stops them._ I thought.

Instead I waited for all of the Sith to leave before I began to search for survivors in the Temple. I didn't find any so I deleted myself from the archives and entered my best friend Jerod Shadowfinder in my place.

He wanted to join the Order with me, but his abilities were better suited elsewhere; like helping plants grow.

I could feel the life begin to die from the poisons in the water. I silently cursed the Republic and the Oath Breakers for allowing the Sith to destroy yet another world that our people have called home.

I headed back to my room and slept fitfully.

I awoke to feel the warm light of the sun on my face. It seemed to mock me with its bright, life giving rays. I closed the blinds.

I checked the spaceports for a ship but found none that were space worthy and it would take too long to fix them.

Finally I found a hidden ship. I was already to go. I packed some of my things; holos of my family and friends and supplies, but I felt that I should wait.

So I waited. The next day I felt a student nearby. I waited for awhile before making my way to her.

I found her weeping by the body of a Sith and a shattered window not far from the Halls of Oaths. She was so happy to see me. She told me her name. I recognized it. She was the grandchild for the High Priest and Priestess.

I wondered if she knew.

I caught her up with what had happened, but I kept the reason for the attack to myself.

She wished to curse the Sith for what they had done and to curse the Jedi for breaking their oath. I wish to curse the Republic as well as the Oath Breakers, but I didn't tell her.

I watched her enter the passkey to the Halls and followed her in. I had to still the urge to read about the many curses that our ancestors had placed on other beings and organizations heads throughout our history.

We prepared ourselves for the ceremony to lay the curse. Even though we serve the Light we believe that we cannot ignore the Darkness inside of ourselves. In a curse we unlock all of our Dark feelings and our eyes turn yellow.

It is important for you to understand that we, while very peaceful, can become hateful. We are responsible for the destruction of several races and the banishment of one race. We have then ear of Ashla/Bogden. Unless They whisper that what was asked will be done we wasted our breath.

Before she could start I silently cursed the Republic to end up in the hands of the Sith. And I added that unless the Oath Breakers that survive lay low they too shall die and never succeed in anything.

I know that you must be thinking that we are cruel and evil Little One, but when you see the bodies of family and friends scattered on the floor and those who were not killed have been taken to be sold into slavery and that almost nobody cares but you; you'll understand.

After she finished her curse I could only stared at her. How did she know what the Sith had been talking about only days ago? But I felt a heavy resolve settle in me. The Skywalkers will destroy the Sith! Even if they have to join them to do so.

I have heard a rumor that a Jedi Master woke in the middle of the night to scream that they would fall by the hand of a dead world and a scattered people.

We sealed the doors to the Halls of Oaths. Only to be opened by those of our blood.

While she gathered a few things I erased her from the list of students and placed another in her place. Her name was, or is, Kylie Windwalker. She came from the same part of the city as your mother and had a similar backround.

We boarded the ship, changed out of our robes and replaced them with Ashlan freighter uniforms.

I hid our robes in a family crate; so that only members of our family can open it. It will be passed down from generation to generation.

On the way to Coruscant I drew a picture of a tall young man with dark blond hair and blue eyes that don't belong to a human. I could see hints of Ashlan blood in him. But he was no pure Ashlan. We Ashlans have black hair and bright green eyes with sun kissed skin or silver hair and gray eyes and we are tall; I stand just over two meters and your mother is 1.85 meters. I estimate him to be about your mother's height.

However, there was no doubt that he would be the one to destroy the Sith and the Oath Breakers. Even is Ashla has to breathe life into him Herself.

When we reached Coruscant we lied. We told them that we hadn't _seen_ the massacre of our people. It wasn't a true lie Little One. Your mother hadn't seen anyone from the Temple die and I hadn't witnessed the other things.

We let them think that we had been away from Eras at the time of the attack. It was the only way to stop the word of our survival from getting out.

Lots of people told us that they were sorry that our families and friends were dead. Many of them were just saying it to look good.

When your mother was getting ready for our wedding ceremony I told Darklighter about what Mika and I wanted, that we had cursed the Sith and the Oath Breakers, that I had cursed the Republic and I showed him the drawing of the young man.

He was afraid. He told me that we should not have done something so rash. I replied that we did the Will of Ashla/Bogden.

He didn't believe that it was Their Will so I dropped the matter.

Later a Sith murdered him and his entire family.

On our way to Bosta I braided your mother's hair so that the braids would tell her story. Don't worry Little One, only an Ashlan knows the meaning of the braids.

I am still amazed that they believed our story. That we were two newly made freighter pilots who had returned upon receiving a distressing call for help.

Well your mother and I are just happy that you're here safe and sound. You appear to have her gray eyes and you undeniable have my black hair.

Luke, bringer of light. The name suits you. You are a light in the darkness.

One day my son you will stand where I stand and tell all of your children. Because we must not forget what happened on Eras. Because if we do forget than Eras will have never been alive and the Ashlans will disappear from living memory.

Corray Ly-pah

I try to meditate and find peace.

It should be easy, the Sith are gone.

But for some reason all that I see behind my closed eyes is the ruined Temple of Ashla/Bogden, one time home to Order of Ashla/Bogden, the faces of the High Priest and Priestess asking why we left them to die and a young man with sad eyes.

I remember when the call from Eras came. The council was split in its decision. The Sith wouldn't dare attack the Ashlans because those that attacked them payed for it. Besides, the Sith had threatened another world. I spoke in favor of sending aid to the Ashlans. However I became the only person that felt that we should send help.

I knew deep down that if we didn't help than something bad would happen.

I was right.

The Sith slaughtered the entire Order. The children in the nursery, the sick and healers in their hall and the students. They left no survivors on Eras. The citizens they didn't kill they sold into slavery.

What is more heartbreaking is that we allowed it to happen.

About two days after the destruction of the Ashla/Bogden Order I was meditating when a Vision came to me of two young Ashlans standing in the ruins of the Temple dressed as students. Tears filled their green and gray eyes but their faces were masks of anger. _You will pay! _They mouthed at me.

I was afraid. I thought that they would take out their infamous lightwhips and use them on me.

Then the two students vanished to be replaced by a young man wear dark Jedi robes. He had Ashlan blood but his eyes were blue and his hair dark blond. _Why?_ His eyes asked. I couldn't answer him.

Then the Ashla/Bogden Temple morphed into the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Bodies of younglings and older students were everywhere with a knight here and there. It was then that I noticed that many of those in the room had been killed by a lightsaber.

The young Jedi stood before me again and stared at me. _"How did this happen?" _I yelled at him. _"It happened because the Jedi allowed it to happen."_ He replied. _"Your days are numbered Oath Breaker."_ A new voice said. I turned to see a cloaked figure, another Ashlan. _"One day this will happen!"_ The Ashlan vanished like smoke only to be replaced by a black cloaked being radiating evil, I knew at once that it was a Sith. _"If you hadn't allowed the destruction of the Ashlans then we would stay dead."_

I jolted out of my meditation, heart pounding.

For a time I had lived among the Ashlans. When I first became a Knight the Council sent me to Eras to keep an eye on them. The Council was worried that the Ashlans were using the Dark Side so they selected me to do the job.

I felt like a spy. These people trusted me; and if I reported something that the Council didn't like than I'd be signing their death warrant.

I had learned many things about how they used the Force and their beliefs. The strangest belief was that the High Priest and Priestess could 'summon' Ashla/Bogden. The reason that I found it strange was that if the Force could take a form why would It and why to them and not anyone else.

It was there that a young Healer Priestess told me about Blood Curses. I was fascinated. She went on to tell me that they had cursed five races, four were completely gone and the other doomed to wander 'til either their destruction or the end of time.

After the end of my sixth year among them the Council called me back to Coruscant. To my chagrin I told them about the Blood Curses. They were deeply unsettled by them. I wonder if that factored into their decision not to help them. I hope not; because that would mean that I'm partially to blame for their demise.

I gave up trying to meditate and retired where my vision was replayed. I screamed for all in the Temple to hear that the Jedi would meet their end by the hand of a dead world and a scattered people.

My nights became sleepless, filled with images of dying Jedi, war ravaged worlds and the Ashlans.

Five days after I started to dream two young Freighter Ashlans arrived on Coruscant. I wanted to meet them but the opportunity never presented itself.

That was twenty years ago, the Sith have been defeated, never to return. However I am still haunted by my vision.

The Council has decided to send me to some world whose name I can't pronounce to settle a dispute. I have requested to be frozen in Carbonite for the journey. I rather be blind for awhile then sleepless on arrival.

_With a heavy heart I report the loss of the transport ship _Soulful_ and the loss of everyone on board. My padawan and I have searched the entire system as well as the neighboring ones. It is my opinion that she went down with all hands. The Jedi Order has lost a valuable member today. May the Force except Master Corray Ly-pah into Its embrace and give her the peace of mind that she never had in life. _Master Bo Rand


End file.
